Enhancing Conservation and Recreation at the Palmer Woods Forest Reserve
There’s something growing at Palmer Woods.
You can help protect one of the largest tracts of undeveloped forestland in Leelanau! The $3.5 million Palmer Woods 1000-Acre Project will permanently protect a 350-acre addition of northern hardwood forest at the Palmer Woods Forest Reserve and expand the hiking, cross-country skiing, and mountain biking trail system to 40 miles. By helping expand the Forest Reserve to over 1,000 acres and expanding the trail system, you can help safeguard water quality, form a critical wildlife corridor, and create world-class four-season public recreation opportunities for people of all ages and abilities.
Your support will help protect one of the largest tracts of privately-owned intact forestland in the county. We have the chance to safeguard the waters of Glen Lake and Good Harbor Bay, mitigate climate change through carbon sequestration, and permanently protect critical habitat for native plants and animals. The expansion would also add a new dimension to Palmer Woods by forming a 5-mile shared border with the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, creating an important wildlife corridor for animals like black bears and red-shoulder hawks that call Palmer Woods home.
Join your friends and neighbors in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to permanently protect an irreplaceable piece of Leelanau!
TRIPLE the impact of your gift!
Help raise the final $200,000! Thanks to two generous $500,000 matching challenges from the Carls Foundation and Ron & Marvel Jones, gifts to the Palmer Woods 1000-Acre Project will be matched 2:1. Help make this project a reality by donating today! We aim to complete fundraising by the end of June.
For more information about how you can support the Palmer Woods 1000-Acre Project, please contact Development Director, Meg Delor, at (231) 256-9665 or [email protected].
Hikes to Learn More
Join us for a hike on the proposed addition to Palmer Woods on one of the dates below!
Wednesday, March 25, 10:30 am–CANCELLED
Wednesday, April 22, 10:30 am–PENDING
Saturday, May 30, 10:30 am–PENDING
Saturday, June 27, 1 pm
Wednesday, July 22, 10:30 am
Saturday, August 29, 10:30 am
Thank you to our lead donors:
Brad Anderson
William C. and Vicki Anderson
Mr. and Mrs. Emil Brolick
David M. and Cara V. Cassard
Cherry Republic
Richard and Carolyn Chormann
Hayward and Kathy Draper
Edmund F. and Virginia B. Ball Foundation
Mrs. Sue Frank
Dan and Magee Gordon
Enid and Rick Grauer
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald L. Jones
Mr. Ron Lovasz
Mariel Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Steven Martineau
John Murphey & Marcie Meditch
Jan and Ray Pezzi
Mr. and Mrs. Max Proffitt
Bill & Julie Pumphrey
Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation
Rotary Charities of Traverse City
The Carls Foundation
The Finnegan Family
Bruce and Betsy Wagner
Larry and Marcia Webb
